Dec. 9, 2014
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State looks to continue its winning ways when it hosts in-state foe Duquesne at 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions are 8-1 on the season, marking the best start to the season since 2000-01, and have won six-consecutive games for the longest streak since 2007-08.
The game vs. the Dukes will be broadcast on BTN with Josh Lewin and former Nittany Lion Jon Crispin on the call. It also is available on the radio through the Penn State Sports Network.
| PROMO PLANS |
- Ross Travis Caricature Tshirt: First 1,000 fans receive a Ross Travis tshirt.
| QUICK HITS |
- Penn State leads the all-time series with Duquesne 26-19 and has wins in five of the last six meetings, including a 68-59 victory last season in CONSOL Energy Center. The teams have met in each of the last four seasons.
- The Big Ten announced an extended partnership with Madison Square Garden, including the 2018 Big Ten Tournament and a series of four men's basketball and hockey doubleheaders beginning in 2016 with Penn State vs. Michigan. [RELEASE]
- At six games, Penn State has the longest winning streak among all 14 big Ten teams and is tied with Maryland and Wisconsin for the highest win percentage (.889).
- Through nine games, Penn State has had three decided by one possession, winning each of them. Last season, the Lions had eight games decided by three points or fewer in the regular season. They lost each of the first five and won the last three, giving them a six-game win streak in regular-season one-possession games.
- The Lions are outscoring opponents 358-314 (+47) in the second frame through nine games this season. They average 32.7 points in the first half, while putting up nearly 40 in the second, uisng the points to battle back from second-half deficits of 14 (Akron), 13 (Cornell), 8 (Virginia Tech) and 6 (Southern California) in recent wins.
- D.J. Newbill is averaging 23.3 ppg, tops in the Big Ten and third in the country among DI players. Through Tuesday games this week, his 210 total points and 70 made field goals were the second-most of any DI player in both categories.
- With 1,318 career points at Penn State, Newbill holds the record among players to spend just three years in the Blue and White and is No. 14 all-time, taking over both positions from John Amaechi (1,310; 1993-95)
- Newbill earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors Dec. 1 after producing 28.5 ppg and 5.6 rpg in the Lions' wins over Akron and at Bucknell. [RELEASE]
- Ross Travis is third in the Big Ten in rebounding with 7.9 per game after a 10-carmon outing vs. Virginia Tech. He is 13th all-time at Penn State and with his career average produced this season, will end up in the Top 3.
- Shep Garner is third on the team in both scoring (10.2 ppg) and second in assists (2.1 apg) as a freshman. He has scored 10+ in all but three games this season, but has seen increased assist and rebound numbers when limited in scoring.
- Kevin Montminy is among the nominees for the 2015 NABC Good Works Team, a prestigious community service award. A 4.0 student for the last five semesters, Montminy also is the president of the student chapter of Coaches vs. Cancer - Penn State. [RELEASE]
| THE MATCHUP |
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SCOUTING DUQUESNE
The Dukes enter the game Wednesday with a 3-2 record after falling to Pitt, 76-62, last Friday. They have posted wins over Bluefield State, Abilene Christian and Howard this season with the losses coming to NJIT and the Panthers.
Jordan Stevens leads four players averaging in double figures with 16.8 points per game. Jerimiah Jones is the team's leading rebounder per game with 4.8, with 2.8 of those coming off the offensive glass. Micah Mason has 4.2 assists per game to his credit to go with 12.0 ppg.
Duquesne began the week ranked first in the nation in 3-pont percentage (.458) and has shot above 50 percent from the arc as a team in three of five games. The Dukes average nearly 11 treys per game with a season-high 14 vs. Abilene Christian in the season opener.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 46th meeting between the Dukes and Nittany Lions, dating back to the 1924 season and a 43-40 Penn State victory. This will be the fifth-consecutive season the teams have met with the Lions going 3-1 in that stretch.
LAST TIME VS. THE DUKES
PITTSBURGH (Dec. 11, 2013) - Reserve Allen Roberts had 15 points and D.J. Newbill added 13 points as Penn State won for the sixth time in its past eight games, 68-59 against Duquesne in CONSOL Energy Center.
Tim Frazier had a career-high 13 assists along with 11 points for the Nittany Lions (8-3), who won despite having only 10 free-throw attempts as compared to the Dukes' 34. Ovie Soko had 19 points to lead the Dukes (3-4), who shot 27 percent from the field and made just four of 23 attempts from 3-point range.
Soko, who made 12 of 14 free throws, played just 22 minutes before fouling out. Duquesne has lost four of its past six and fell to the Nittany Lions for the second consecutive season.
Penn State's Donovon Jack also had nine points, 12 rebounds and six blocks.
| UP NEXT |
GEORGE WASHINGTON, DEC. 14: The Nittany Lions remain at home for the second of three-consecutive games at the Bryce Jordan Center, welcoming George Washington at noon Sunday. The game is the front half of a doubleheader with the Penn State women's basketball team, who faces Rider at approximately 2:30 p.m. The game will be Military Appreciation Day with all military members who show ID receiving free admission. Tickets for the general public will be $5 for general admission covering both games.
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